The Vikings’ offseason program is entering its second week, and Tuesday the team gave reporters access to the Winter Park workouts.
That’s led to a handful of news nuggets, with arguably the most notable coming from Kyle Rudolph, the Vikings’ 25-year-old tight end who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Rudolph told reports he hasn’t been approached by the team about an extension – but he’s open to it, and according to ESPN wants to get something finalized before the season starts.
“Everybody in the front office, the new staff, I really like the direction this team is going in,” Rudolph said, according to Ben Goessling. “Obviously, I would love to be here for a while, but that’s something you’d have to ask them. It’s all on their terms, obviously.”
In eight games last year, Rudolph had 30 receptions on 46 targets, accruing 313 yards with three touchdowns. He was hampered by a broken foot that caused him to miss the final eight games of the season, but according to Fox Sports North is telling reporters he’s fully healed.
“Once I was able to start running around in mid-February, it felt good to just go out there,” he said, according to the site, “the first time you put your foot in the ground, there’s no residuals from it.”
Rudolph has a new position-mate too: The team announced the signing of tight end Allen Reisner, who had a short stint with the Vikings a few years ago.
The #Vikings have signed TE Allen Reisner. He played with the Vikings from 2011-2012. http://t.co/kQgzUuRUOX pic.twitter.com/5k7KSWoDHt
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 15, 2014
Reisner spent the end of 2012 and all of 2013 with the Jaguars. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Iowa alum has seven career catches for 58 yards. The Vikings originally signed him as an undrafted free agent before the 2011 season.
The team also announced today it claimed linebacker Terrell Manning off waivers from the San Diego Chargers. Manning, 23, was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL draft. The 6-foot-2, 237-pound Manning appeared in five games for the Chargers last season, notching three tackles.
At Winter Park, during the offseason program, a couple players opened up just a bit about new head coach Mike Zimmer’s plans for them this season.
According to the Star Tribune‘s Matt Vensel, Everson Griffen says he’ll be used both defensive end spots.
#Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen didn't go into detail about how Mike Zimmer plans to use him, but he said he'll play both end spots.
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) April 15, 2014
And new cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said he expects to start outside as one of the top two cornerbacks, but will move inside during nickel situations, the Pioneer Press reports. Brian Murphy also did a quick interview with the purple’s new defensive back – a small but feisty physical player who likes to call himself “the big difference.”
And one more happening of note from Tuesday’s workday: Vikings offensive lineman Josh Samuda severly injured his ankle today. Vensel of the Star Tribune says it was fractured and dislocated. (There is a photo of the injury out there, but it’s quite gruesome and will not be shown here.) Samuda, 25, signed a reserve/futures contract with Minnesota earlier this year; he’ll have surgery tomorrow morning, the paper reports.
